Meant To Be After All
by LIFE the RANGER
Summary: <html><head></head>SOME SPOILERS FROM BLOOD OF OLYMPUS! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, DO NOT READ THIS STORY! Also, one-shot! Nico still feels like no one cares about him. Maybe the least likely person at camp shows him someone does. Rated T because.</html>


If you have yet to read Blood of Olympus, I encourage you not to read passed this point. Stop now. You have been warned…

So, if you have (in the short time it's been out) finished it like I have, you'll know this was more or less implied toward the end. Definitely unexpected. Not even saying who for the general information. Total secret.

…

Nico's POV

…

I smiled thinly as I watched Percy and Annabeth together. It wasn't even the fact that I still had a crush on Percy. I was so over that. He was cute and all, but he was no longer my type. No, the just seemed so incredibly _happy_ together. They had each other. They were off to great adventures together in New Rome. Me? I was staying here, at Camp Half-Blood. Where I had about zero people that actually cared about me. Oh, the Seven cared. And Jason was sticking around for awhile, which I wasn't sure about, but I meant like the way Percy and Annabeth cared about each other. I wanted something like that.

"You're so grouchy." I glanced over my shoulder as Will Solace approached. Ever since the battle, he'd been trying to get my attention. But he'd been so busy tending to our sick and wounded, that we'd barely had time to talk. "Don't look that way Nico," he continued as he came level with me. He followed my sight line, and grimaced when he saw what I was looking at. Or rather, who I was looking at. "They certainly make a cute couple," he commented.

"I guess," I replied. "But they're _everywhere_. I mean, I'm happy for them and all, but…" I trailed off. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. Will snorted, but I couldn't tell if it was because he agreed with me, or he was just exhausted. Seriously, that dude hadn't slept in two days because he'd been so busy doing some freaky Apollo magic. He was by far the best healer at camp, so it was logical he be in charge of everyone. Not to mention he was the head counselor. He had responsibilities.

"Have you decided on anything?" Will asked, leaning against the Big House porch. I tore my gaze away from the happy couple and gazed at him. Most people became unnerved when I gazed at them head on. Not Will. He was very stubborn, I'd come to find out. Maybe even more so than Percy, Annabeth, and Piper combined. "Nico?" Will waved a hand in front of my face. I blinked at him.

"I'm sticking around," I told him. "The Hades cabin needs a head counselor. And new decorations. Who designed that thing anyway? I swear, it's like they think I'm a vampire." Will's lip twisted up into something that resembled a smile. Something between a smile and a grimace of pain anyway. "I just wish…" I gazed back at Percy and Annabeth, who were busy swaying back and forth to music in their heads.

"What do you wish?" Will asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Something's got you down." I turned to look at him again. Why could Will see so easily through the walls I'd built around myself? "Not entirely happy?" Will asked.

"Um," I responded, because I still wasn't used to talking about my feelings. I'd opened up to Reyna on our way to camp recently, but that didn't mean I was comfortable with it. Reyna seemed like my older sister; Will just seemed like an annoying next door neighbor. But he seemed to…care about me, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. "I just wish I had something like they had," I said quietly, pointing to Percy and Annabeth. Will followed my sight line again.

"We all wish we had something like they did," he replied. "And hey, you haven't been by to visit, you naughty boy." Now I really did look at him. Frankly, I thought he lost his mind. "What?" Will asked. "You could've dropped them infirmary and said hi. Or brought me a soda or something. It's hot work tending to the wounded."

"Says the unofficial camp doctor," I joked, surprising myself. It had been a long time since I'd made a joke of any kind. Will didn't seem surprised, however. He simply smirked at me.

"Well, what can I say?" he said with a shrug. "My dad passed on one of his better qualities." I turned to see if he was bragging, but he appeared genuine. One thing I'd learned about Will over the last couple of days of talking to him; he never bragged. "But, since you can't do anything decidedly Underworld-y for the next few days, you owe me bed rest," he added. "Hear that di Angelo? Infirmary while you cover your strength. And no disappearing into a shadow in the meantime."

I could definitely think of worse punishments than being stuck in the infirmary being hovered over by Will Solace.

…

Will never left one person in his care unsupervised, but he paid special attention to me for some reason. Since I was basically bedridden, he brought me things to do. He even managed to sneak in an illegal iPhone so I could play games. The biggest surprise was when he brought in his stash of Mythomagic cards and challenged me. I was transported back to Westover Hall. I was ten again, hugging the cards to my chest as Percy hovered over Bianca and me, fighting off the monsters. He even had some of the figurines. He let me keep the one of my dad, which I still didn't have and had no real desire to have anymore.

"How's my favorite patient doing?" Will asked, peeking in on me. He was dressed like a field doctor; white lab coat and Camp Half-Blood shirt and jean shorts. He still wore those damn flip flops, which no one seemed to mind. I was busy trying to pass the time by redrawing my cabin the way I'd want it to look. First off, no coffin beds. I looked up when he entered. I actually managed a smile, setting the notebook aside.

"Quite well," I answered. "I feel much better. More rested than I have in…months." Will smiled, removing his white lab coat. That meant he was officially off duty. And he choose to spend it with me! Why was I so excited about that? "You're off duty huh?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied. He sat directly beside me and leaned against the makeshift headboard. He'd installed it so I had a place to prop myself when I wasn't napping. Which was more often than I would've liked. But I had to get my strength back somehow. Our shoulders brushed, and it sound shivers down my spine. He was the only one to be able to do that these days. Even Percy wouldn't do that anymore. "I decided I'd come see how my favorite patient was doing," he continued, lacing his fingers behind his head. When he wasn't being "Doctor Solace," Will was actually really laid back. He even looked laid back and lazy in his attire. "Say, I want to ask you a couple questions," he began, and I was instantly on guard.

"About what?" I asked warily. He turned to look at me, his usually kind blue eyes filled with a kind of anguish I hadn't really seen on him before. It took me by surprise. Will didn't normally look like he was about to cry.

"Is it true you had a crush on Percy?" he asked. "And before you say anything, word has not gotten around camp. Annabeth just asked if that was the reason you're in here. She thinks you're not quite over him yet." I sighed. I wanted to hate that girl so much, but I just couldn't. She was too damn kind. "So you really did?" he asked when I didn't say anything for an extended period of time.

"I did," I confirmed. "But that definitely died when the giants rose. I think it was more heroes worship than anything. I certainly don't like him anymore. Besides…" I glanced at the entrance to the infirmary. "He's got Annabeth. She makes him happier than I ever could."

"Aw now don't say that," Will scolded. "You'll make someone very happy one day. You just have to believe they're out there somewhere." I was tempted to believe him, but I knew the truth. No one could love the son of Hades.

…

Will was helping me redecorate the cabin since it was just me. I'd tried inviting Jason along as well, but Will refused to let anyone else help. At first, I'd been a little miffed. Now, I was sort of glad. Will and I were able to work in something close to comfortable silence. We'd dragged out the beds long ago, replacing them with some simple bunks like the Hermes cabin had. I'd removed some of the more gruesome decorations, leaving the walls bare. It was really starting to feel like home.

"Hey, I want you to know something," Will said as he made bunk beds on the other side of the room. He wasn't very fast at it, but he got it right in his own time, so I let him continue working. "The thing with Octavian…well, I don't blame you." I straightened so fast I smacked my head on a bunk bed. I rubbed the new sore spot, staring at the back of his head. That thought had haunted me for the last week. I wondered, time and time again, if he blamed me for what happened to Octavian. "He choose what he did," Will continued, blissfully oblivious to my staring. "No one would ever think he didn't get what he deserved."

"Thanks," I said quietly. That did make him pause. He turned to look at me, a thin sheet hanging off his fingers. I laughed. "Solace, you heard me correctly. Thank you. For…you know…caring so much. And being there. And stuff…" I trailed off awkwardly. "That came out way corny than I intended it to be." Will laughed, came over, and wrapped me in a hug. For the first time in a long time, I didn't pull away. I rested my forehead on his shoulder, feeling the tears in my eyes.

"Remember Nico," Will whispered to me. "There will always be someone who cares about you here at camp." He pulled away, going back to his bed making. I went back to my task. But I was smiling.

"Yeah," I whispered to the walls. "There is." For the first time since I was ten, I had hope. Maybe some things were meant to be after all. If Will was willing, then so was I. I turned back to look at him, my smile growing. Will turned to look at me and smiled back. Then he came over and softly kissed me.

…

So, this was kind of implied at the end of the book. This is how that should've gone. I think I'm a Nico-shipper. I like him with just about anyone (not Thalia!). So, if you made it this far, brava. If not, read the book!


End file.
